Awareness Campaign on Single Use Plastic (SUP)
Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO and Dept. of Environmental Science and Disaster Management (ESDM), Daffodil International University have jointly organized an awareness campaign on Single Use Plastic (SUP).
The participant on awareness campaign on ‘Single Use Plastic (SUP) Pollution in Bangladesh’ highlighted the need to ‘Beat the Plastic Pollution’ and emphasis on immediate ban on microbeads and use of single use of plastic (SUP).
Pro-Vice Chancellor of Daffodil International University, Professor Dr. S.M. Mahbub Ul Haque Majumder, Prof. Dr. Md. Abul Hashem, Former Chairman, Dept. of Chemistry, Jahangirnagar University and Executive board member of ESDO; Dr. A.B.M. Kamal Pasha, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management (ESDM), Daffodil International University (DIU) and Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO were present at the awareness campaign. There were approximately 50 students and teachers participated in the event.
Plastic bags, disposable single use plastic items and microbeads are three important sources of plastic pollution with plastics being described as the world’s number one consumer item. In business-to-consumer applications, plastic packaging is mostly single-use, and a majority of it is discarded the same year it is produced. Approximately, 250 tons of (SUPs) are produced as waste in Bangladesh per month. ESDO’s study suggests more comprehensive regulatory approaches must be explored that will integrate the life-cycle of plastic products: from production to use, and distribution to disposal. Countries must seriously consider alternatives to plastics that are causing damages per year. Focusing on this, in the campaign there were one presentation, questionnaire survey for students and question-answer sessions where mainly discussed about the threat of single use plastics to the environment and health, global plastic products, Bangladesh Scenario, control and environmentally friendly alternatives of SUPs.
Pro-Vice Chancellor of Daffodil International University, Professor Dr. S.M. Mahbub Ul Haque Majumder “Awareness should be raised against the use of single use plastic. Single use plastics are a huge environmental problem and are causing huge issues that affect human and animal health.”
Professor Md. Abul Hashem, Former Chairman, Dept. of Chemistry, Jahangirnagar University and Executive board member of ESDO said, “Tackling the plastics problem is a must. Where alternatives are easily available single-use plastic products will be banned from the market, such as plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers, sticks for balloons, products made of oxo-degradable plastic and food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene.”
Executive Director of ESDO Siddika Sultana on her speech said, “Although plastic bags make up only a small percentage of all litter, the impact of these bags is significant. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have harmful effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals.”
Dr. A.B.M. Kamal Pasha on his closing remarks said, “Plastic is a commodity that is consumed on a large-scale around the world. The production as well as disposal of plastic, pose a great threat to all the life forms on earth. This material takes years to decompose, which is one of the factors that kill many animals in waterand as well as on land. During the manufacture of plastic, many hazardous chemicals are emitted which has resulted into dreadful disorders and diseases in humans.”
There are so many countries all over the world have taken initiatives to Ban or reduce the consumption of Single-Use Plastics. Costa Rica now aims to become the first country in the world to ban all kinds of single-use plastics by 2021. In Vancouver of Canada, Great Britain, Sikinos island of Greece, New Delhi of India, Guatemala, Glasgow of Scotland, Taiwan, European Union, Switzerland and some states of America took strong initiatives for banning plastic straws immediately. Bangladesh also should come forward to stop the use of this Single use plastic for saving the nature and environment.
